Quote:
Originally posted by galleryseek
you tend to look at it from a very narrow minded perspective. most people just want to be happy, and their actions reflect their attempts to reach it. so when it comes to reasoning pertaining to the military, most of these people are trying to reach that goal. and many of them are happy they're able to be apart of something. now i know you're referring to these people as being "brainwashed" in a sense due to government and what not, but it all depends on how strongly a person feels on such issues. and for whatever reason you feel strongly about it. but you have to look at both hands of the situation here... you're saying "free thinkers" and "non-conformists" aren't brainwashed, in a sense everyone is, people just react differently to it. but thats not to say that the people who believe in their country are being "controlled".
there are people like you who're sheep.
there are people like you who are individual in their views...
and there are people who profess pride/patriotism who're sheep.
and there are people who profess pride/patriotism who're individual, and true to themselves in their views.
its all relative. i try to remind myself to stay neutral on these issues, cause to think you know whats going on is showing your own ignorance.
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I don't believe any priest, politician or corporate marketing and anyone who does is an idiot.
Patriotism, or more correctly Nationalism, like religion is for those incapable of thinking for themselves. That's why you have to be indoctrinated in it from birth... say that retarded pledge of allegience every day at school so you don't forget it.
It IS all relative. To hundreds of millions of people you, your country and what you stand for is completely evil. Do you ever think about why that is? Do you ever consider views from a non-American point of view? Do you ever consider that maybe everything you have been taught and everything you believe in is a pile of bullshit? I don't know but I hope so. But i digress.
I don't believe that anyone in the armed forces can be described as a free thinker or a non-conformist because they gave up their individuality to wear a uniform and take orders and be told who to hate, who to kill and what to think. That is the very antithesis of non-conformity. I understand that these people need to exist but I cannot respect them. And my brother is a major in the Australian army so this is also a very personal issue for me.